Box



L. D. YOUNG Aug. 2, 1966 BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 22, 1964 INVENTOR LEWIS DOUGLAS YOUNG F i G. 2 I 7 BY '5 A ORNE D. YOUNG 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed may 22, 1964 INVENTOR LEWIS DOUGLAS YOUNG BY i ATTORNE United States Patent 3,263,895 BOX Lewis Douglas Young, Providence, R.I., assignor to Douglas Young Inc., Pawtucket, R.I., a corporation of Rhode Island 1 Filed May 22, 1964, Ser. No. 369,370

a 4 Claims. '(Cl. 229-16) My present invention pertains to the container art and more particularly to a novel construction of a rigid type container or box cover.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a container cover formed from foldable material and utilizing a minimum amount of material in the blank.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container cover of the type folded from a stamped blank in which the blank portion is formed with a minimum amount of waste.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a container cover formed from a folded blank in which the top of the cover is reinforced against pressures exerted by packaging and shipping.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container cover formed from a foldable blank in which a minimum amount of material is used for the maximum amount of strength in the finished container.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view my invention consists of a novel'arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container cover,embodying my present invention. 7

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the blank for forming the container cover shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another form of my container cover.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the blank for forming the container cover shown in FIG. 3.

A conventional rectangular box for retaining the merchandise in an upright position usually comprises a comparatively flat bottom portion and a deep sided cover which either slides into or over the bottom portion. The cover is conventionally formed by blanking and creasing a comparatively thin cardboard material, folding it into the form of the container cover having four sides and a top and an open bottom, applying holding strips to the abutting edges to hold the cover together and then possibly covering the outer portion with an ornamental paper. It is necessary that the blank have a central rectangular portion which forms the top and the sides extend outwardly from each side of the rectangular portion. However, such a construction provides that the corners must be cut out and a considerable amount of waste results. Since the cost of the material is an important factor in the large quantities made, strength was sacrificed to economy. The box was formed by providing a single direct strip of material folded in three places so that it can be turned to form four sides open along one abutting edge. This edge is now closed with a holding strip and a separate rectangular piece, forming the top is pushed into the four sides until it reaches the position adjacent the top. At this point four holding strips are attached along the top of the four sides to hold the top in place. Now the cover is formed with an absolute minimum of waste. However, at all four edges along the top, the top portion is held in position only by the holding strips which are much weaker than the material of the box itself. Consequently if any pressure is put on the top of the container a crease is formed adjacent the edge of the sides and if the pressure is hard enough breakage will occur.

The present invention is designed to provide a rectangular deep sided box cover in which the blanks are so formed that a minimum amount of waste is provided yet at the same time a considerable amount of strength is added to the top of the cover. Referring more in detail to the drawings ilustrating my invention, FIG. 2 illustrates a blank cut from suitable material such as cardboard and designed to form a rectangular box cover such as shown in FIG- 1. The blank 10 is formed with a comparatively large rectangular portion 11 having integral rectangular extensions 12 and 13 adjacent one end. With this construction it is possible to lay out a plurality of blanks on a large sheet of cardboard material so that there is a minimum of waste during the cutting operation. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the blank 10 is provided with a plurality of creases to facilitate the bending for forming the box. The first crease line 14 defines the large rectangular area 15 which forms the side of the cover 15 as shown in FIG. 1. The next crease line 16 defines the rectangular area 17 which forms the top of the cover shown in FIG. 1. The line 16 also divides the balance of the rectangular portion 11 into a rectangular portion 18 which is identical to the portion 15 and forms the opposite side wall 18 as in FIG. 1. v

A crease line 19 defines the rectangular flap 12 which forms the end 12 shown in FIG. 1 and thecrease line 20 defines the rectangular flap 13 which forms the end wall 13 also shown in FIG. 1. In forming the cover shown in FIG. 1 the side walls 15 and 18 are bent upwardly along the creases 14 and 16 and the end walls 12 and 13 are then formed by bending the flaps along the creases 19 and 20. Holding strips 21 and 22 may be applied inside or outside at the corners where the end walls 12 and 13 abut the side wall 15. These holding strips may be applied by the conventional machines which glue a strip of thin holding paper that additional strength has been provided by the fact that the top 17 no longer floats. The sides 15 and 18 are integrally formed with the top 17 and the lines ,14 and 16 are merely score lines for bending. Thus the top 17 is provided with considerable strength along the longer sides of its rectangular shape. The points where the top 17 is unattached are at each end which are the shorter sides. I have thus provided a blank 10 which permits the blanking of the box cover shown in FIG. 1 with a minimum of waste, and yet provides a cover having a considerable amount of strength in the top which is formed integrally with the sides for a large portion of its perimeter.

Where it is desired to further increase the strength of the cover, the form shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 adds only a little more material to the blank and cover shown in 'FIGS. 1 and 2. In this form the blank 24 is formed similarly to the blank 10 with a large central rectangular portion 32 having end side flaps 26 and 27. As in the previous form, the rectangular portion 25 is scored at 28 to provide the large rectangular portion which forms the side 29 as shown in FIG. 3. Another score or fold line 30 defines the rectangular portion 31 which forms the top of the cover and also defines the end portion 32 which is identical with the portion 29 and forms the opposite side wall of the cover as shown in FIG. 3. The score line 33 separates the side wall 32 from the end wall flap 26 and the score line 34 separates the side wall 32 from the other end wall flap 27.

Up to this point, the blank 24 is identical to the blank shown in FIG. 2. However, the additional reinforcement is provided by extending the ends of the top portion 31 to form rectangular flap members 35 and 36. The flap portion 35 is separated from the portion 31 by a score line 37 and the flap portion 36 is separated from the bottom portion 31 by a score line 38. The flap 26 is separated from the flap 35 by a line 39 which is cut through and the flap 27 is similarly separated from the flap 36 by a line 40 which is also cut through. Examining the blank 24, it is obvious that the side flaps 35 and 36 which are integral with the top portion 31 are identical in size and shape with the side flaps -26 and 27 which are integral with the side 32. However, the flaps 35 and 36 are positioned at right angles to the flaps 26 and 27. [In assembly, the sides 29 and "32 are bent upwardly at right angles into the position shown in FIG. 3 along the score lines 28 and 30. Now the side flaps 35 and 36 are also bent upwardly along the score lines 37 and 38. The flaps 26 and 27 are now bent at right angles along the lines 33 and 34 so that they are along the outside of the flaps 35 and 36 forming a double thickness of end walls as shown in FIG. 3. Two holding strips 41 and 42 now join the outer edges of the flaps 26 and 27 with the side 29 as shown in 'FIG. 3. As in the previous form, the box can now be covered with an ornamental covering of paper or other material if desired.

The finished box cover in the form shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is now provided with a top portion 31 which is integrally attached to the sides 29 and 32 on the longitudinal side and with the ends 35 and 36 at the short side. The extra flaps 26 and 27 serve to double the thickness of the short sides. In this form therefore the top 31 is integral on all four sides with the sides of the box. It therefore resists undue bending or breaking and the cover itself is further strengthened by the use of a double thickness of the end walls. All of this is accomplished with very little extra material than that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the only added material being the end flaps 35 and 36. Both forms therefore provide a box cover which can be readily and quickly assembled from blanks formed from a minimum of waste material and which provide the top portion with integral support along the sides either for most of or ifor all of the perimeter of the top. -In any event a much stronger and better box is provided without adding materially to the cost of manufacture and assembly. Other advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art.

-I claim:

1. In a rectangular box cover formed by folding a blank, an elongated rectangular top, and four vertical sides extending upwardly at right angles to the perimeter of said top, the two opposed longer sides being integral with said top, the two opposed shorter sides extending integrally from each side edge of one of said longer sides and having their free edges abutting the edges of the other of said longer sides, the abutting edges being held together withadhesive tape, said blank being covered with an ornamental paper to conceal said tape and further lock said blank in erected position.

2. In a rectangular box cover formed by folding a blank, an elongated rectangular top, and four vertical sides extending at right angles to the perimeter of-said top, the two opposed longer sides being integral with said top, the two opposed shorter sides extending integrally from each side edge of one of said longer sides and having their free edges abutting the edges of the other of said longer sides, and auxiliary opposed side portions extending integrally from said top to form opposed double thick side portions one set of which is integral wtih said top, the abutting edges being held together with adhesive tape, said blank being covered with an ornamental paper to conceal said tape and further lock said blank in erected position.

3. A blank for forming an elongated box cover comprising a rectangular portion having spaced parallel score lines for bending an elongated rectangular top and opposed integral sides extending from the longer edges of said top, and integral portions extending from each end of one of said sides for forming the opposed shorter sides of said cover.

4. A blank for forming an elongated box cover comprising a rectangular portion having spaced parallel score lines for bending an elongated rectangular top and opposed integral sides extending from the longer edges of said top, and integral portions extending from each end of one of said sides for forming the opposed shorter sides of said cover, and integral portions extending from opposed short edges of said top portion for forming auxiliary shorter side portionsof said cover.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,384,115 7/1921 Baxter 229-l6 1,430,287 9/ 1922 Crowell 229--43 1,913,597 6/ 1933 Jones 229-43 X JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

D. T. MOORHEA D, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A RECTANGULAR BOX COVER FORMED BY FOLDING A BLANK, AN ELONGATED RECTANGULAR TOP, AND FOUR VERTICAL SIDES EXTENDING UPWARDLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE PERIMETER OF SAID TOP, THE TWO OPPOSED LONGER SIDES BEING INTEGRAL WITH SAID TOP, THE TWO OPPOSED SHORTER SIDES EXTENDING INTEGRALLY FROM EACH SIDE EDGE OF ONE OF SAID LONGER SIDES AND HAVING THEIR FREE EDGES ABUTTING THE EDGES OF THE OTHER OF SAID LONGER SIDES, THE ABUTTING EDGES BEING HELD TOGETHER WITH ADHESIVE TAPE, SAID BLANK BEING COVERED WITH AN ORNAMENTAL PAPER TO CONCEAL SAID TAPE AND FURTHER LOCK SAID BLANK IN ERECTED POSITION. 